Moving the production work to two plants in Mexico would save the company $35 million annually, Steelcase said.

The Kentwood employees were given until the end of February to make a decision on whether to take the voluntary buyout package, VanSlyke said.

Employees who took the buyout were given an option to select their date of departure sometime this year and the company will try to honor that request, she said.

“It's in the best interest of the company to take care of employees the best we can,” VanSlyke said. “I know it's a tough economy and there's been some difficult decisions to make. We wanted to give our employees the best opportunity to move forward.”

Those who take the buyout can also apply for unemployment benefits through the state, she added.